Dr. Phyllis Hudecki, Oklahoma Secretary of Education, will be the speaker at Cameron University’s Eighth Annual Hooding Ceremony, honoring students who earned a master's degree during the 2011-12 academic year on Sunday, April 29 at 2 p.m. The ceremony will take place in the University Theatre.

“Attainment of a master’s degree is the culmination of many years of hard work, sacrifice and academic achievement,” says Cameron President Cindy Ross. “We are honored that Secretary of Education Phyllis Hudecki will address our graduate students as they celebrate their achievement on this joyous occasion.”

In addition to her responsibilities as a member of Governor Mary Fallin’s Cabinet, Dr. Hudecki serves as Executive Director of the Oklahoma Business and Education Coalition (OBEC), a business-led cooperative working to improve and strengthen education in Oklahoma.

Prior to assuming her role with OBEC in 2000, Dr. Hudecki served as Associate Director of the National Center for Research in Vocational Education at the University of California-Berkeley. During her career, she has held positions with state departments of education in Iowa, Missouri and Massachusetts as well as with the U.S. Department of Education.

Named one of Fifty Women Making a Difference in Oklahoma, she is also an inductee in the Hall of Fame at the Oklahoma State University College of Human Environmental Sciences. She served as the 2010-2011 Chair of the OSU Women in Leadership and Philanthropy Council and a member of the OSU Foundation Board of Governors.

Dr. Hudecki began her career as a teacher and has served as an assistant principal in Kansas City, Mo. She received her doctorate and baccalaureate in education from Oklahoma State University.

Cameron University’s Hooding Ceremony is a symbolic and special way to recognize Master’s degree candidates.

“The tradition of a hooding ceremony was established to recognize scholarly and professional achievements beyond a bachelor’s degree,” says Dr. John A. McArthur, Cameron University Provost. “Each university has a distinctive hood that joins the cap and gown to complete the academic regalia. The hood is typically present by a student’s major advisor. We are proud of our Master’s-level graduates and look forward to their continued success.”